Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.
479 episodes transcribedWe all rely on incentives to get people to do things they might otherwise avoid. Parents reward kids for doing their homework. Companies offer bonuses...
American culture celebrates those who persevere in the face of adversity. So how do we know when to walk away from something that's not working? Today...
We all have moments in our lives when we see someone who could use a helping hand. It could be a friend who recently went through a breakup, an elderl...
It happens to the best of us — we blank on someone's name, or forget an important meeting, or bomb a test we thought we'd ace. Today on the show, we...
It used to be that we tried our best to conceal disadvantages, hardships, and humiliations. But new research explores a curious shift: some people are...
Why do some companies become household names, while others flame out? How do certain memes go viral? And why do some social movements take off and spr...
At every stage of life, there are moments when we need buy-in from other people. Yet most of us make a fundamental error when we try to persuade other...
When James and Donovan first met, they knew little about each other, except that Donovan had stolen James' bike. Donovan got caught, and spent a month...
Stories help us make sense of the world, and can even help us heal from trauma. They also shape our cultural narratives, for better and for worse. Thi...
In the second part of our series on implicit bias, we explore the relationship between beliefs and behaviors. We also talk with psychologist Mahzarin...
Would you consider yourself to be prejudiced against people who are different from you? Most of us would say no. But in the late 1990s, researchers cr...
As you move through the world, it's inevitable that your way of seeing things won't always align with the people around you. Maybe you disagree with t...
Many of us rush through our lives, chasing goals and just trying to get everything done. But that can blind us to a very simple source of joy that's a...
Sometimes, life can feel like being stuck on a treadmill. No matter how hard you try to feel happier, you end up back where you started. What’s going...
Having a sense of purpose can be a buffer against the challenges we all face at various stages of life. Purpose can also boost our health and longevit...
It's natural to want to run away from difficult emotions such as grief, anger and fear. But what happens when these feelings catch up with us? This we...
Many of us believe that hard work and persistence are the key to achieving our goals. But is that true when it comes to the pursuit of happiness? This...
When we want something very badly, it can be hard to see warning signs that might be obvious to other people. This week, we revisit a favorite episode...
Think back to the last time someone convinced you to do something you didn't want to do, or to spend money you didn't want to spend. What techniques d...
We all exert pressure on each other in ways small and profound. We recommend movies or books to a friend. We convince a colleague to take a different...
